Patents by Inventor Chuck E. Tilmon

Chuck E. Tilmon has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20260103349
    Abstract: A conveyor-based system and method for assessing perishable consumable product quality include at least one conveyor for moving products and one or more image capture devices. A processor-based control circuit estimates the time a product will be at the center of an image capture device's field of view, considering conveyor speed, product type, size, and shape. At this estimated time, the control circuit causes the image capture device to capture images from various perspectives. These captured images facilitate efficient and precise quality assessment, including defect detection, identification, and severity evaluation using machine learning models and reference image data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2025
    Publication date: April 16, 2026
    Inventors: Harinarayanan Kuruthikadavath Kurussithodi, Dhiraj Dhananjay Daga, Anju Das B, Raghuram Sathyamurthy, Soumabrata Arup Chakraborty, Sudipta Kumar Das, Lokesh Kumar Sambasivan, Maxine Caballero Perales, Chuck E. Tilmon, Michael Jason Klingman, Jeffery R. Montgomery
  • Publication number: 20260107053
    Abstract: A system for calibrating the focus of image capture devices positioned to capture images of products is disclosed. The system includes a product support surface, at least one image capture device, and a control circuit. The control circuit receives an input indicating a product is positioned within the image capture device's field of view, identifies the product's type and/or size, and then adjusts the image capture device's lens to a focus complementary to the identified product type and/or size. A method is also disclosed, involving supporting a product, capturing an image, detecting its presence, identifying its type/size, and adjusting the lens focus for optimal image capture. This enables the acquisition of maximally focused images for efficient and precise quality assessment of perishable consumer products.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2025
    Publication date: April 16, 2026
    Inventors: Harinarayanan Kuruthikadavath Kurussithodi, Dhiraj Dhananjay Daga, Anju Das B, Raghuram Sathyamurthy, Soumabrata Arup Chakraborty, Sudipta Kumar Das, Lokesh Kumar Sambasivan, Maxine Caballero Perales, Chuck E. Tilmon, Michael Jason Klingman, Jeffery R. Montgomery
  • Publication number: 20260103348
    Abstract: Systems and methods for assessing the quality of a plurality of perishable, consumable products include at least one conveyor. At least one image capture device may be positioned proximate the conveyor to continuously capture at least one image of the product moving on the conveyor from at least one perspective. A control circuit obtains and processes the image. In response to determining that the image contains a depiction of the product, the control circuit further processes the image to identify the product and detect one or more defects on a surface of the identified product. The control circuit may match the depiction of the product to a stored reference model. The circuit determines a size of the defect, translates this size into a defect severity level, and correlates the severity level to a predetermined threshold defect severity level. A notification is output indicating if the product is of acceptable quality.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2025
    Publication date: April 16, 2026
    Inventors: Harinarayanan Kuruthikadavath Kurussithodi, Dhiraj Dhananjay Daga, Anju Das B, Raghuram Sathyamurthy, Soumabrata Arup Chakraborty, Sudipta Kumar Das, Lokesh Kumar Sambasivan, Maxine Caballero Perales, Chuck E. Tilmon, Michael Jason Klingman, Jeffery R. Montgomery
  • Patent number: 12175476
    Abstract: Systems and methods for assessing quality of and detecting defects in retail products include a housing having an interior, a product holding surface, an image capture device configured to capture an image of the product, a lighting element configured to provide lighting within the housing, an electronic database configured to store electronic data including reference image data associated with the product and representing the product in various sizes and various quality states, and a processor-based control circuit in communication with the first image capture device and the electronic database. The control circuit is configured to obtain image data representing the image of the product, obtain the reference image data, analyze the image data and the reference image data to identify the product and identify a size of a defect present on the product, and output a notification indicating whether or not the product is of acceptable quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: Lokesh Kumar Sambasivan, Sandeep Jaywant Tendulkar, Shivani S. Naik, Pushkar Pushp, Soumabrata Arup Chakraborty, Abhishek Kushwaha, Maxine Caballero Perales, Chuck E. Tilmon, Geronimo Valenzuela, Ray L Baber, Daniel J. Forsgren, Chuck S. Rorie, Raghuram Sathyamurthy, Nicholas G. Van Voorst
  • Patent number: 11733229
    Abstract: In some embodiments, apparatuses, systems, and methods are provided herein useful to assessing products. In some embodiments, an enclosure for use in assessing products comprises a housing including a door configured to allow placement of a product within the housing, a product holding surface located within the housing allowing pictures to be taken through the product holding surface and configured to support the product, a first image capture device configured to capture an image of the product from a first perspective, a second image capture device configured to capture an image of the product from a second perspective, and wherein the image of the product from the second perspective is captured through the product holding surface, and a lighting element, wherein the lighting element is located within the housing, and wherein the lighting element is configured to provide lighting within the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: Joshua T. Bohling, Chuck E. Tilmon, Emily Moneka Francis Xavier, Daniel J. Pumford, Brian J. A. Schardt, Issac Mathew, Venkataraja Nellore, Gaurav Savlani, Viraj C. Patel, Rahul Agarwal, Pushkar Pushp, Jennifer McTeer
  • Publication number: 20230245133
    Abstract: Systems and methods for assessing quality of and detecting defects in retail products include a housing having an interior, a product holding surface, an image capture device configured to capture an image of the product, a lighting element configured to provide lighting within the housing, an electronic database configured to store electronic data including reference image data associated with the product and representing the product in various sizes and various quality states, and a processor-based control circuit in communication with the first image capture device and the electronic database. The control circuit is configured to obtain image data representing the image of the product, obtain the reference image data, analyze the image data and the reference image data to identify the product and identify a size of a defect present on the product, and output a notification indicating whether or not the product is of acceptable quality.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2022
    Publication date: August 3, 2023
    Inventors: Lokesh Kumar Sambasivan, Sandeep Jaywant Tendulkar, Shivani S. Naik, Pushkar Pushp, Soumabrata Arup Chakraborty, Abhishek Kushwaha, Maxine Caballero Perales, Chuck E. Tilmon, Geronimo Valenzuela, Ray L. Baber, Daniel J. Forsgren, Chuck S. Rorie, Raghuram Sathyamurthy, Nicholas G. Van Voorst
  • Patent number: 11388325
    Abstract: In some embodiments, apparatuses, systems, and methods are provided herein useful to assessing products. In some embodiments, an enclosure for use in assessing products comprises a housing including a door configured to allow placement of a product within the housing, a product holding surface located within the housing allowing pictures to be taken through the product holding surface and configured to support the product, a first image capture device configured to capture an image of the product from a first perspective, a second image capture device configured to capture an image of the product from a second perspective, and wherein the image of the product from the second perspective is captured through the product holding surface, and a lighting element, wherein the lighting element is located within the housing, and wherein the lighting element is configured to provide lighting within the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: Joshua T. Bohling, Chuck E. Tilmon, Emily Moneka Francis Xavier, Daniel J. Pumford, Brian J. A. Schardt, Issac Mathew, Venkataraja Nellore, Gaurav Savlani, Viraj C. Patel, Rahul Agarwal, Pushkar Pushp, Jennifer McTeer
  • Publication number: 20220210314
    Abstract: In some embodiments, apparatuses, systems, and methods are provided herein useful to assessing products. In some embodiments, an enclosure for use in assessing products comprises a housing including a door configured to allow placement of a product within the housing, a product holding surface located within the housing allowing pictures to be taken through the product holding surface and configured to support the product, a first image capture device configured to capture an image of the product from a first perspective, a second image capture device configured to capture an image of the product from a second perspective, and wherein the image of the product from the second perspective is captured through the product holding surface, and a lighting element, wherein the lighting element is located within the housing, and wherein the lighting element is configured to provide lighting within the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2022
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Inventors: Joshua T. Bohling, Chuck E. Tilmon, Emily Moneka Francis Xavier, Daniel J. Pumford, Brian J. A. Schardt, Issac Mathew, Venkataraja Nellore, Gaurav Savlani, Viraj C. Patel, Rahul Agarwal, Pushkar Pushp, Jennifer McTeer
  • Publication number: 20220046164
    Abstract: In some embodiments, apparatuses, systems, and methods are provided herein useful to assessing products. In some embodiments, an enclosure for use in assessing products comprises a housing including a door configured to allow placement of a product within the housing, a product holding surface located within the housing allowing pictures to be taken through the product holding surface and configured to support the product, a first image capture device configured to capture an image of the product from a first perspective, a second image capture device configured to capture an image of the product from a second perspective, and wherein the image of the product from the second perspective is captured through the product holding surface, and a lighting element, wherein the lighting element is located within the housing, and wherein the lighting element is configured to provide lighting within the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2019
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Inventors: Joshua T. Bohling, Chuck E. Tilmon, Emily Moneka Francis Xavier, Daniel J. Pumford, Brian J.A. Schardt, Issac Mathew, Venkataraja Nellore, Gaurav Savlani, Viraj C. Patel, Rahul Agarwal, Pushkar Pushp, Jennifer McTeer
  • Publication number: 20200275010
    Abstract: In some embodiments, apparatuses, systems, and methods are provided herein useful to assessing products. In some embodiments, an enclosure for use in assessing products comprises a housing including a door configured to allow placement of a product within the housing, a product holding surface located within the housing allowing pictures to be taken through the product holding surface and configured to support the product, a first image capture device configured to capture an image of the product from a first perspective, a second image capture device configured to capture an image of the product from a second perspective, and wherein the image of the product from the second perspective is captured through the product holding surface, and a lighting element, wherein the lighting element is located within the housing, and wherein the lighting element is configured to provide lighting within the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2019
    Publication date: August 27, 2020
    Inventors: Joshua T. Bohling, Chuck E. Tilmon, Emily Moneka Francis Xavier, Daniel J. Pumford, Brian J.A. Schardt, Issac Mathew, Venkataraja Nellore, Gaurav Savlani, Viraj C. Patel, Rahul Agarwal, Pushkar Pushp, Jennifer McTeer